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WASHINGTON D.C. — Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-05) had a special guest with him for President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address in Washington D.C. Tuesday evening. 

Walberg invited Cassopolis Village President David Johnson to join him for the presidential event.

Born and raised in Cassopolis, Johnson is a pastor at Christ Temple Church and has served as Cassopolis Village President since 2016. In 2022, Cassopolis earned the Community Excellence Award from the Michigan Municipal League. The award recognized Cassopolis for its vision to transform its downtown streetscape. 

Among other community improvements, Cassopolis has drawn international investments leading to good-paying jobs in the community. Once completed, the Hydro plant will aid in automotive innovation and provide 70 new jobs.

“Cassopolis Village President David Johnson embodies the success of Small Town America through his important and successful work done to draw new investments into the village,” said Rep. Walberg. “All too often, middle America has experienced outsourcing of economic opportunities, but Cassopolis has flipped the script. It is vital that we continue to work to boost our industrial sector, develop a skilled and modernized workforce, and create an attractive economic environment for investment. I am proud to recognize David Johnson for his leadership in transforming our community and creating a blueprint for success. It is my honor to have him as my guest for the 2023 State of the Union.”

Congressman Walberg represents Michigan’s 5th Congressional District which includes the counties of Branch, Cass, Hillsdale, Jackson, Lenawee, Monroe, St. Joseph, and parts of Berrien, Calhoun, and Kalamazoo. Johnson thanked Wahlberg for the experience and helping bring attention to the community he calls home.

“Congressman Walberg only recently began representing our community but has been visible across our community and has already proven himself to be a strong partner to us in Congress and I thank him for the opportunity to attend and share Cassopolis’s story,” Johnson said. “Cassopolis is proving that there is a strong future for small towns across America and the development of a strong business infrastructure is key. Since my swearing-in, communication, collaboration and economic development have been my main priorities and I am eager to continue to develop our business infrastructure. I’m honored to have the opportunity to amplify our successes on a national stage.”